Retractable shelf support for counters and the like



y 3, 1950 B. w. SCHWINDT 2,508,804

RETRACTABLE SHELF SUPPORT FOR COUNTERS AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 18, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l I IN V EN T 0R. NJAMIN w. scuwmm."

ATTORNEYS.

y 23, 1950 B. w. SCHWINDT 2,508,804

- RETRACTABLE SHELF SUPPORT FOR COUNTERS AND THE LIKE Fi1 ed Nov. 18; 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 37 11/ [21 30 29 35 36 I 32 If INVENTOR. BENJAMIN W SGIWINDT A TTOR/VEYS.

Patented May 23, 1950 RETRACTABLE SHELF SUPPORTFOR COUNTERS AND THE-LIKE Benjamin WJSchWindt, 'Freeport, N. Y. ApplicationNovember 18, 1947; Serial=No; 786;-732=-* 3 Claims. (Cl. 311-17) This. invention relates to an improved retractable support for-fixtures, tools, kitchen utensils and appliances for use with sink tops and counters.

Many tools-implements and appliances commonly employed in kitchensand'restaurants, such as meat grinders, knifesharpeners and the like, are held in position when in use by a clamp similar to a G-clamp forming an integral part of the tool. The clampis applied to a counter or table and supports the tool in operative position. Modern sink tops and counters, however, are formed in suchamanner that manyof the standard clamps on--such tools cannot be applied thereto.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome this diificulty and to provide a retractable support, in the form of a slide, for tools and impIements 'of this type and which may be incorporated in or applied to sink tops and counters.

A further object is the provision of an improved support of the above typewhi'ch will not mutilate or detract from the appearance of the sink top or counter, which is sufiicientl-y strong and sturdy to provide adequate support for tools of thistype and which can be retracted into the counter or sink top when not in use and partially withdrawn therefrom when it is desired to use it.

A further object is the provision of aretractable support for appliances and-tools of the above" character which is 50 designed and arranged as to protect the counter *from damage or injury from the tool.

Among other objects is the provision'of a retractable support for appliances and tools'which is of sturdy construction, which-does notweaken the counter and. which is relatively simpl"tofmanufacture, assemble with the" counter-and use.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a perspectiveview of a sink top or counter having a retractablesupportembodying my invention appliedthereto and showing the slide in extended position T Fig.2 is a cross-sectional viewgtluoughthe '2 center of the retractable support and associated portions of the sink top 'or -counter,"'shoWing*the slide in retracted position; Y

Fig. 3 is 'a perspective view of "the assembly J- shown in Fig'sfl and-2 from the undersurface" thereof and w'ith the bottomcover plate removed;

Fig. 4 is a plan view, 'with thecovering; cover plate and"portio'ns of the counter .omitted, show-" ing a modified type "of retractable support. in pro jected position embodying mechanism fork-caus ing the slide to automatically project; and:

Fig. '5' is a cross sectional vie'w of the releasable catch 'mechanism ofriel 4 showing'the'catcl'iiin closed or engaged-position.

My I improved retractable support consists gen-i erally of a retractable slide mountedinsideithel' sinktop or counter and which is projectable' and. retractable through the binding strip or i facing.

along the edge thereof;

In the drawings-Ihave shown my inventionlas portionbut may also be made of other suitable sheet material: such as stainless steel or of ,a plastic material-generallyknown in the trade as decorative laminate, The edging =materia1 ,12 maybe wood or metal. Thefacing or binding I4 is made of sheet metal-preferablyof a corrosion resisting type such as stainlesssteeh Monel-metalor the like:

The'binding or facing-is held in place by-ove'rlapping theupper and lower surfaces of the counteras shown. The upper overlapping-portion [5 preferablyprojects upward-lyabove the counter and takes the form of a heading.-

V H The counter or sink top, as sofardescribed,- is one'type of-conventional constructionandbe-- cause of -the'arrangement-of the edging-l2 and 'thebinding and facing l4,- many-of the-standardclamps applied to kitchen toolsand utensils such as meat grinders, knife sharpeners and-the like cannot be attached thereto:

In accordance with the-present invention. I overcome this 'diflicult-y byprovidinga projecta--;= ble'; and"retractable'support in the --form of a slide-- I 6 which is mounted insidethe counter and projects through the binding-or facing 14. The slides is so arranged as to beshiftable-betweenthe fully extended position shown :in Figs. 1 andy3-a-nd the fully retracted position :shown' in Fig; -2. -So--as to provide adequate. supportforthe-'kitchemuten-e 811 101 appliance -;the slide is made of a strongegrugged material-ssuch-as ametalpreferably-iron or steel." It is preferably generally: rectangular in shape and may have arounded outer :or '1eading edge to -improve-its?appearanceand a fingerw recess J20 onthe .undersurface' *ther'e'obto facilii-e tate its operation;1

As: previouslyzstated th slidesis mountedi'inee side the counter and for this purpose the base is provided with a recess ll large enough to accommodate the slide and the guides and supports therefor. So that the slide may be projected through the facing or binding the facing is provided with an opening 68 large enough to permil; the slide to fit therethrough and I preferably secure a gasket or cushion of rubber l9 around the outer face of the opening to protect the facing from damage in the event the slide should be accidentally retracted while the kitchen utensil or appliance is attached thereto.

The recess i1 is preferably closed by cover plates 2| and 22 fitted to the upper and lower surfaces thereof and countersunk around the edges of the opening. The cover plates are suitably held in place as for instance by nuts and bolts 23 and 24.

The slide [6 is supported or mounted inside the recessed portion of the counter by means of channel-like guide tracks 25 supported from plate 21, as by welding, and embracing the opposite lateral edges of the slide. The engagement between the tracks and the slide is such as to permit the slide to shift inwardly and outwardly but is sufilciently snug or tight to prevent undue lateral or vertical movement of the slide. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the guide tracks extend downwardly from plate 2! along the vertical side edges of the slide and are provided with flanges overlapping the undersurface of the slide.

The guide tracks, it will be noted, only extend for about half the length of the slide and serve as stops to prevent the. complete withdrawal of the slide. Thus, when the slide is withdrawn to the position shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 the guide tracks are engaged by stop lugs 26 secured as by welding to the rear edge of the slide and projecting laterally beyond the sides thereof so as to engage the guide tracks in the manner shown. A stop lug 40 may also be secured to the undersurface ofthe top cover plate 2| so as to engage the slide when it has been retracted to the position shown in Fig. 2. In this manner a sufficient amount of the slide projects from the facing or binding to permit the operator to engage the finger recess 20 and to withdraw the slide.

When a retractable support of the type shown and described herein is applied to a sink top or counter it can be retracted to the position shown in Fig. 2, when not in use. Under those circumstances it will not obstruct or interfere with the spacein front of the counter. When it is desired to use a utensil or appliance such as a meat grinder, knife sharpener or the like, the slide [5 is projected to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and the appliance is clamped thereto in the usual manner.

It will be appreciated that the slide provides sturdy and adequate support for the utensil and in this way the appliance can be used without mutilating or damaging counter. If the slide is accidentally shifted inwardly while the appliance is attached thereto, the gasket or cushion I 9 protects the facing from injury.

If desired, the slide may be made so as to be automatically projectable by an arrangement such as that shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In these figures I have shown a counter or sink top construction of the same type as shown in the first three figures of the drawing. I have also shown the same type of retractable support applied thereto. However, in this case I have mounted a spring 21 at the rear of the recess l1 and at one side thereof. This spring is made of suitable spring material such as spring steel and extends forwardly and presses against the rear edge slide I 6. The outer end of the spring is preferably bowed in the manner indicated at 28.

The spring is arranged so as normally to exert pressure against the slide to force it outwardly to the projected position shown in full line Fig. 4. However, the slide may be shifted inwardly manually and the spring will then assume the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 and the slide will then be 'held in retracted position by means of a releasable catch.

The releasable catch may take any desired form. Thus, it may take the form of a slide or detent 29 mounted in the base ll] of the counter at one side of the slide 16 and having a rounded pintle or end 30 engageable with a similarly shaped recess 3| formed in the slide in a position to be engageable with the pintle when the slide is fully retracted. The detent is normally pressed towards the slide I 6 by means of a helical spring 32 also mounted in the base of the counter and engaging the end of the detent.

The catch may be released so as to permit the spring to shift the slide i6 outwardly by means of a small push button 33 projecting through the bottom of the counter near the forward edge thereof. The push button is mounted on a shiftable member 34 having a cam surface 35 engageable with a similar cam surface formed on an abutment 36 on the side of detent 29. When the push button 33 is pressed upwardly the cam surface causes detent 29 to shift to the right as viewed in Figs. 4 and 5 against the tension of spring 32 with the result that spring 21 forces slide is outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 4. When push button 33 is released the push button and member 34 drop downwardly under gravity with the result that when slide [6 is shifted to retracted position spring 32 causes detent 29 to again engage recess 3| thereby locking the slide in retracted position as shown in Fig. 5.

The catch assembly may be supported in suitable fashion as from an extension 31 formed on plate 2|.

Aside from the automatic projection of the slide [5 the retractable support shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is used in the same manner as the support shown in the first three figures of my drawmg.

It should be understood that I do not intend to be limited to the specific sink top or counter construction shown in the accompanying drawing and that also modifications may be made in the illustrated and described embodiments of my invention without departing from the invention as set forthin the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. An improved counter or sink top comprising a flat base panel formed with an opening extending therethrough at the outer edge thereof and with a recess extending around said opening, a cover plate over the top of said opening and countersunk in said recess so as to be flush with the upper surface of the base panel, a surfacing of ornamental protective material over the top of the base panel and cover plate, a metallic facing along the outer edge of said base panel and surfacin and extending across the opening, said facing being formed with a slotlike opening intermediate its upper and lower edges communicating with the opening in the base panel, a retractable support comprising a slide mounted in the opening in the base panel and being projectable and retractable through the slotted opening in the facing, stop means for preventing the complete withdrawal of the slide through said slotted opening and further stop means for limiting the retraction of the slide so that the leading edge thereof projects slightly through the slotted opening in the facing when the slide is fully retracted.

2. An improved counter or sink top as set forth in claim 1 in which the cover plate serves as a support and has mounted thereon a pair of guide tracks engaging opposite sides of the slide and also the stop means for limiting the movement of the slide.

3. An improved counteror sink top as set forth in claim 1 in which spring means are provided in the opening in the base 'panel in engagement with the slide to urge it into outwardly pro- The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 477,762 Larsson June 28, 1892 686,249 Beery Nov. 12, 1901 1,028,767 Mooney June 4, 1912 1,366,910 Hegrat Feb. 1, 1921 1,641,249 Blumental Sept. 6, 1927 2,000,916 Bloom May 14, 1935 2,170,093 Pringle et a1 Aug. 22, 1939 2,298,578 Madsen Oct. 13, 1942 

